Eccentric for securing bobbins to a creel



Oct. 22, 1968 E. B. GRABACCIO I 3,406,927

ECCENTRIC FOR SECURING BOBBINS TO A CREEL Filed Sept. '14, 1966 FIG.6

INVENTOR. v EDWARD B.GRABACCIO United States Patent Filed Sept. 14, 1966, sci. No. 579,424 Claims. (Cl. 242-1295 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A spindle apparatus for supporting yarn spools, pirns, cones or similar articles having a package adapter applied to the spindle for insertion into the spool or other article. A securing mechanism comprising an eccentric member integrally formed with the spindle is provided to selectively secure and release the adapter on the spindle.

This invention relates to a securing mechanism for retaining an adapter on a spindle for use in textile machines such as spinning frames and twisters wherein bobbins, pirns or spools are supported by frictional adhesion to the adapter.

In the textile machinery art, packages of yarns or other textile materials are commonly collected on or expelled from spindle-mounted tubular cores or bobbins for further processing and dispensing, and it is extremely important that such devices be quickly and positively receivable on and removable from their mounting spindles.

An adapter as used herein relates to a device usually fitted to a spindle whereby various types of yarn packages can be properly held in running position or stored. An adapter is used so that changing from one type yarn package to another can be accomplished with as little effort and time as possible.

A great number of bobbin-spindle assemblies are used, among the more common combinations being a generally tubular bobbin loosely mating with an associated spindle over substantially the entire spindle length. Adapters have made possible great savings in this particularly since it is often less expensive to use adapters of varying shapes to handle present ,bobbin needs than to make a spindle to the exact bobbin configuration required.

Presently, adapters have a great need in spindle combinations and are secured to the spindle positively by a number of techniques including a collar and set screw, a groove filling pin in the Spindle shaft, a threaded collar, a set screw in the adapter acting directly on the spindle and a threaded spindle with a retaining nut to name a few.

The present invention pertains to the releasable attachment of a yarn package or bobbin adapter to a spindle in a positive manner which adapter will, in turn, frictionally engage a bobbin, spool, pirn, cone or the like thus eliminating the inaccuracies inherent in loose fitting assemblies and avoiding the expense of bobbin-fitting spindles and the likelihood of having the bobbin inadvertently removed from the spindle.

It is, therefore, an objective of the present invention to provide a novel device for positively securing a yarn package adapter to a spindle with the customary ease and certainty with which bobbins may be mounted on or removed from spindles.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved textile bobbin assembly which will avoid radical redesign of either the spindle or bobbin now in use.

Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a device for use with yarn package adapters of varying shapes now available which will accommodate distinctly 3,406,927 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 different yarn packages when the occasion or need arises.

Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved means for positively securing the adapter and carried yarn package to the spindle by an expeditious, eflortless and reliable operation.

Yet still another objective is to provide stabilized adapter-spindle assemblies of low cost and extremely simple construction which will avoid inadvertent displacement of a bobbin from the spindle during operation.

These and other objectives of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof in which like characters of reference designate like parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmented, perspective view of the spindle supporting device mounted on a creel and carrying two differing yarn package adapters, one being partially removed from the supporting spindle to expose the adapter securing eccentric mounted about the base of the spindle;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational enlarged view of one variety of a wound yarn package adapter showing the spindle engaging hub and recess (see broken lines) contained therein;

FIG. 3 is a plan fragmented view of the adapter-carrying spindle showing the positioning of the eccentric about the base of that spindle;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of another variety of an adapter showing the eccentric receiving hub and the differing adapter exterior which is designed to receive a conical yarn package;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the eccentric receiving recess of an adapter such as illustrated in FIG. 2 or 4 showing the oflset of that recess with respect to the hollow tubular portion which receives the spindle;

FIG. 6 is a fragmented, side elevational and sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing the relationship of the eccentric receiving recess with respect to the spindle receiving tubular portion of an adapter;

FIG. 7 is a plan sectional view of the spindle receiving recess of an adapter such as illustrated in FIG. 2 or 4 as it loosely engages the eccentric carried about the base of the spindle; and

FIG. 8 is a plan sectional view of the eccentric receiving recess of an adapter such as illustrated in FIG. 2 or 4 which has been rotated while positioned on an eccentriccarrying spindle until it has frictionally engaged that spindle and becomes rigidly secured thereon.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a creel 10 carrying adjustable spindle supporting members 12 each having an outwardly extending portion 14 which maintains a spindle generally designated 16 that usually supports a bobbin, spool, pirn or the like (not shown) in either a loose or snug manner according to the particular use desired.

Spindle 16 communicates with an eccentric 18 which in turn is directly fastened to the extending portion 14 of spindle support 12. The length of spindle 16 varies in accordance with the precise use involved and can be of any standard or convenient length and of a type which is conventionally used with textile machinery.

The spindles illustrated in FIG. I carry two of a great number of variations of yarn package adapters generally designated 20 and 22, the first being clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 and including an extended tubular member 23 which actually engages the yarn package (not shown), which member has a plurality of fins 24 extending outwardly from the exterior of the tube and longitudinally along the tube surface for the substantial length thereof. The finS 24 are tapered at their extended end 26 so that the total contour of the tube exterior allows the engagement and support of a yarn package on the adapter and 3 retains the package against movement with respect to the adapter 20.

The base or hub 28 of adapter exteriorly is larger than the tubular portion 23 of the adapter because it contains interiorly a recess which will receive the eccentric 18 positioned at the base of the spindle 16 when the adapter is positioned thereon. The securement of adapter 22 to spindle 16 by means of eccentric 18 will be subsequently described in detail.

A second variety 22 of a yarn package adapter is particularly illustrated in FIG. 4 and has differing external features which are particularly designed to accommodate conically shaped yarn packages by frictionally engaging the interior of these packages when they are urged thereover. A number of contoured fins generally designated 32 are carried by adapter 22 each of which has a substantially extending portion 34 proximate the recess-containing hub 36, an intermediate portion 38 adjoining the extending portion for approximately one-third the length of the adapter and finally a diminished portion 40 following the intermediate portion and extending for the balance of the adapters length. A smoothed rim 42 terminates the extending end of adapter 22 and allows smooth reception of a conically shaped yarn package as it is placed over the adapter. Additionally, a spindle of extended length can extend through the opening 43 formed within rim 42. A reinforcing hub 44 adjoins the recess-receiving hub 36 and extends for the length of the substantially extending fin portion 34 to give added strength to these raised fins and preclude breakage or distortion from handling.

The recess 30 of adapter 20 is essentially the same in both examples 20 and 22 of yarn package adapters illustrated herein and is best illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein it is readily apparent that the longitudinal axis 46 of a similar recess 47 differs from the longitudinal axis 48 of the portion of an adapter tube shown in FIG. 6 though it is apparent that the axes are parallel to and spaced apart from each other.

The securement of adapters 20 and 22 to spindle 16 by means of eccentric 18 is accomplished by dropping the adapter loosely into place over the spindle so that a recess such as designated 47 in FIG. 6 receives eccentric 18 loosely as illustrated particularly in FIG. 7. The components are dimensioned so as to provide a slight spacing 50 between the eccentric and the wall of the recess thus allowing the adapter to be dropped loosely into place by the attendant. As soon as eccentric 18 has been completely received within the recess, the attendant simply twists or rotates the adapter about the spindle (see arrow in FIG. 8) thus frictionally binding the wall 51 of the recess against eccentric 18 at a specific location 52 and securing the adapter to the spindle by this rotation. When it is desired to remove the adapter and its carried yarn package from the spindle, the dofier need only reverse the direction of rotation and return the adapter to its original,

55 loosely fitting position over the spindle as shown 1n FIG.

7 thus allowing its expeditious removal therefrom.

Obviously, many modifications and variations may be made in the construction and arrangement of the eccentric adapter securing means andthe eccentric receiving recess as well as other phases of the present inventive concept in light of the above teachings without departing from the real spirit and purpose of this invention. Such modifications of parts and alternatives as well as the use of mechanical equivalents to those herein illustrated and described are reasonably included and modifications are contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wound yarn package adapter for supporting yarn spools, pirns, cones and the like for use with an adjustably supported spindle, a securing mechanism for releasably attaching the adapter to the spindle, said mechanism comprising: a fixed eccentric integrally formed with said spindle; and means operable with said eccentric to secure and release selectively said adapter to or from said spindle.

2. In a wound yarn package adapter for supporting yarn spools, pirns, cones and the like for use with an adjustably supported spindle, a securing mechanism according to claim 1, said securing and releasing means including a recess communicating with said spindle eccentric.

3. In a wound yarn package adapter for supporting yarn spools, pirns, cones and the like for use with an adjustably supported spindle, a securing mechanism comprising: an eccentric carried by said spindle; and means operable with said eccentric to secure and release selectively said adapter to or from said spindle, said securing and releasing means including a recess communicating with said spindle eccentric having a longitudinal axis spaced apart from and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said adapter so that said adapter becomes secured to said spindle when said contained recess receives and is rotated about said eccentric.

4. In a Wound yarn package adapter for supporting yarn spools, pirns, cones and the like for use with an adjustably supported spindle, a securing mechanism according to claim 1, said eccentric integrally formed with said spindle and having a longitudinal axis spaced apart from and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spindle.

5. In a wound yarn package adapter for supporting yarn spools, pirns, cones and the like for use with an adjustably supported spindle, a securing mechanism according to claim 3, said eccentric integrally formed with said spindle and having a longitudinal axis spaced apart from and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spindle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,941,724 1/1934 Swanson 24246.3

LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Primary Examiner. 

